Call texts for two new strategic research programmes out now

4 Nov 2022

The Strategic Research Council (SRC) established within the Academy of Finland is launching two new strategic research programmes. Both programmes deal with the theme decided by the Finnish Government in October, a just green transition. The programmes will start in autumn 2023.

The new programmes are:

  • Energy Solutions as Part of a Just Green Transition (JUST ENERGY)
  • Societal Solutions in a Just Green Transition (JUST TRANSITION).

The cross-cutting priority in the programmes is resilience, referring to an ability to adapt to societal changes and crises in a humane and socially, economically, technologically and ecologically sustainable manner.

The programmes will run for six years. In the two programmes, the SRC is prepared to fund 9–10 projects with a total of some 27 million euros during the first three-year period. The progress of the projects will be reviewed at midterm, after which the SRC will decide on the continuation of funding.

The calls for applications have two stages. The first stage (for letters of intent) opens on 4 November 2022 and closes on 11 January 2023. The first stage is open to all eligible applicants. Projects going through to the second call stage will be selected in March 2023. The SRC will take decisions on the projects to be invited to the second stage based on the first-stage international peer review.

Strategic research funding is intended for extensive, multidisciplinary research consortia composed of several organisations that carry out research with an emphasis on active interaction and engagement with knowledge users. Strategic research strengthens societal problem-solving capacity and improves the knowledge base of decision-making. From the projects to be funded, the SRC expects not only excellent research but also active interaction between knowledge producers and knowledge users, covering the entire life cycle of the research, in order to disseminate high-quality research to knowledge users across society. Guidelines and terms on consortium structure, composition and activity as well as more detailed application instructions are available in the call texts.

One theme, two programmes

The aim of SRC-funded research is to find solutions to major societal challenges. According to SRC Chair Anu Kaukovirta, the theme of the programmes, a just green transition, is very topical both nationally, at EU level and globally. “The unstable state of the world, increasing prices and the shortage of important commodities have all challenged the schedule and fairness of implementing the green transition. There’s also an increasing need for resilience in all aspects of society and in our everyday lives.”

This year, two programmes will tackle a single theme from different perspectives. The SRC programme Energy Solutions as Part of a Just Green Transition will focus on developing the energy system in a changing operational setting. “The European energy system is in a confused and fragile state. The programme seeks long-term solutions that can support the renewal and increased stability of the energy system. These solutions are a very important part of the green transition and its fairness,” Kaukovirta says.

The SRC programme Societal Solutions in a Just Green Transition focuses on societal solutions essential for the green transition from the perspective of different institutions and actors. Of particular interest in the research to be conducted in the programme are structures and practices that support or prevent a just green transition in different sectors of society and in the everyday lives of people and communities.

“From the applications to this programme, we expect multidimensional and long-term solutions to how the structures and practices of society must change in order for the green transition to take place. We encourage that applicants consider what kinds of solutions will support fairness and sustainability and how the achievement of these objectives can be assessed,” Kaukovirta says.

The call texts are available in English, Finnish and Swedish.

A webinar about the calls will be held on 25 November 2022 at 10.00–11.30. The webinar will be held in Finnish, but questions can also be asked in English.

Inquiries and more information

Societal Solutions in a Just Green Transition (JUST TRANSITION)

  • Katri Huutoniemi, Science Adviser, tel. +358 295 335 195
  • Otto Auranen, Senior Science Adviser, tel. +358 295 335 141
  • Between 23 December 2022 and 1 January 2023, please contact us via the helpdesk. Choose ‘Division of Strategic Research’ as the recipient.

Energy Solutions as Part of a Just Green Transition (JUST ENERGY)

  • Tuomas Katajarinne, Science Adviser, tel. +358 295 335 067
  • Henna Luoma-Halkola, Science Adviser, tel. +358 295 335 132
  • Between 16 December 2022 and 8 January 2023, please contact us via the helpdesk. Choose ‘Division of Strategic Research’ as the recipient.

Our email addresses are in the format firstname.lastname(at)aka.fi.

Academy of Finland Communications
Tiina Salo
Communications Coordinator
tel. +358 295 335 084

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